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In the 1880s, Pat Nally(Balla) a G.A.A stalwart and five other local men were arrested, tried and convicted of "The Crossmolina Conspiracy", a supposed Fenian plot to murder landlords' agents in the Crossmolina area.
They were alleged to have conspired to murder Joe Hogan ,son of a wealthy farmer. The man was shot but not killed but the crime bought matters to a head. Throughout this time the men were being spied on by an infomer by the name of Coleman. The authorities seized their opportunity and arrested the 6 men.
''In Crossmolina we were brought up,
Six heroes of great fame,
True sons of dear old Granuaile
Who did adore the name,
To join the Fenian Brotherhood,
Bad landlord’s to destroyAnd its now our hearts are breaking,
In the prison of Mountjoy.
All 6 men who took part in the Conspiracy were trialed and imprisoned. 5 men survived however Nally died on the 12th of November 1891of Typhoid fever just 15 days before he was due to be released. The Nally stand in Croke park is named in his honour.
In Crossmolina we were brought up,
Six heroes of great fame,
True sons of dear old Granuaile
Who did adore the name,
To join the Fenian Brotherhood,
Bad landlord’s to destroy,
And its now our hearts are breaking,
In the prison of Mountjoy.
(2)
There is a great informer,
And Coleman is his name,
A disgrace to all his countrymen,
And his friends they are all the same,
He strained his nerves both night and day,
And was made a public show,
On the swearing of his countrymen,
In the County of Mayo.
(3)
The day we stood our trial
It was a mournful sight,
To see the sons of ould Granuaile,
Surrounded left and right,
For the Fenians in the County Cork,
It’s there they did him show,
And they cheered for Crossmolina,
A town in Sweet Mayo.
(4)
Bold Mc Cawley appear,
With Daly and the rest,
He told his lordship from the Dock,
For to try and do his best,
For he wished to make a speech,
But Lawson: he said “no”
And they cheered for Crossmolina,
A town in Sweet Mayo.
(5)
There is another hero,
And Nally is his name,
Likewise Peter Munnelly,
Is actually the same,
He would not turn informer,
To cause either grief or woe,
Or swear upon his countrymen,
Form the County of Mayo.
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